Huntington Beach Academy for the Performing Arts ‘Retrofest’ centers on coming of age

The teenage coming of age experience is one that has been well explored in cinema.

Some Huntington Beach Academy for the Performing Arts students watched movies from decades past in preparation for this weekend’s “Retrofest: Rock & Roll High School” show.

Huntington Beach High School sophomore Zoe Ferguson said she saw “Napoleon Dynamite” with her parents. Even that relatively contemporary film was released in 2004, before any of the students in the Music, Media and Entertainment Technology (MMET) department were born.

Sophia Mack sings “Hopelessly Devoted to You” from the movie “Grease” during rehearsals for Retrofest: Rock and Roll High School on Thursday.

(James Carbone)

“It was a nice experience to see something from their childhood, kind of about the place in my life where I am,” said Ferguson, who is singing a “Napoleon Dynamite” song by the band When In Rome, called “The Promise,” in the show. “It’s really exciting to step into that character of an ’80s high school student.”

The HBAPA Retrofest show, which runs about two-and-a-half hours, debuted Friday night at First Christian Church Huntington Beach. There are two more shows scheduled for Saturday, at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Nicole Kubis, one of the show’s directors, said the theme of music from movies about high school is a fun one.

Eli Chang, left, and Leila Ortiz sing “You’re the One that I Want,” from the movie “Grease,” during rehearsals on Thursday.

(James Carbone)

“It’s one of the rare situations where Retrofest spans many different decades and genres,” Kubis said. “Usually we pick a theme or a year, so this one is fun in that we’re doing music from ‘Grease,’ so we’re doing Frankie Valle all the way to Jamiroquai and ‘Canned Heat,’ from ‘Napoleon Dynamite.’”

The two songs are the memorable opener and closer of the show, respectively. In between, about 100 students will perform on songs from movies like “The Breakfast Club,” “Back to the Future” and many more.

Percussionists from the Huntington Beach Academy for the Performing Arts during a rehearsal for Retrofest: Rock and Roll High School on Thursday.

(James Carbone)

Huntington Beach High senior Owen Mitchell is doing a bit of everything in the show, including playing bass, guitar, singing, percussion and even dancing to “Canned Heat.”

Mitchell said preparing for the show has been fun. That’s despite a quicker than normal turnaround from the last show, “The Beatles Story 1965,” in February.

“It’s cool just seeing what the world was like back then through these movies,” Mitchell said. “It’s interesting, seeing the similarities and differences from high school then to now.”

Storm Anderson on keyboards, left, Ash Dunlap on vocals and Francis Tran on keyboards, perform “I’ve Seen All Good People” from the movie “Almost Famous” during a rehearsal on Thursday.

(James Carbone)

A lot of the costumes on stage will be similar to the movies or era being represented, Kubis said. Additionally, the HBAPA media team has put together recreations of famous scenes from the movies that will play on the screens in the auditorium during transition periods.

Students also had projects where they made decorations related to the movies portrayed, to be displayed inside the venue.

Ferguson said she feels the show is accessible for all ages.

Sofia Garcia sings “Fox on the Run” from the movie “Dazed & Confused” during a rehearsal for Retrofest: Rock and Roll High School on Thursday.

(James Carbone)

“It’s songs from decades that my generation didn’t necessarily grow up with, but we heard through our parents,” she said. “I think it’s a very diverse selection of music. There’s a lot of upbeat songs, there’s a lot of ballads. The diversity of music is very exciting, and it appeals to a lot of people.”

For tickets to “Retrofest: Rock & Roll High School” or more information, visit hbapa.org/see.